Azharuddin’s father dies of shock as family struggles for news of the missing son
Team Clarion
AZAMGARH — A youth from Azamgarh district in Uttar Pradesh was sent to Russia under the guise of a security job but was instead forced into the war against Ukraine. Azharuddin, a resident of Gulam Ke Pura in Azamgarh, was among nine men lured with promises of high-paying jobs abroad. The ordeal took a devastating turn when Azharuddin’s father, Manuddin, succumbed to a heart attack upon learning of his son’s plight.
Azharuddin was sent to Russia on 27 January 2024 by a local agent, Vinod, under the pretext of a lucrative security guard position. “The agent promised us two lakh rupees per month and five lakh rupees as an advance upon arrival,” Azharuddin’s mother recounted tearfully. “But instead of a job, my son was given military training and sent to the battlefield.”
Communication with Azharuddin ceased two months after his departure. The family last spoke to him on 27 April, and since then, their pleas for information have gone unanswered.
The harrowing news of Azharuddin being injured in a bomb blast during the war proved too much for his father, Manuddin, who suffered a heart attack on 1 April. Despite the family’s desperate efforts to save him, borrowing money and selling jewellery for medical expenses, he passed away on 8 April.
“I lost my husband, and now I don’t know if my son is alive or dead,” Azharuddin’s mother said, breaking down. “We have contacted the embassy and explained our situation, but we have received no updates about his whereabouts.”
Azharuddin is not the only victim. The agent allegedly sent nine youths from Azamgarh to Russia on various visas, including those for carpentry and cooking, but all were reportedly forced into combat. Among the group, one person, Kanhaiya Yadav of Bankata, has been confirmed dead. The remaining men are missing, leaving their families in a state of anguish and uncertainty.
“We have been left in complete despair,” said a relative of another missing individual. “Our lives have come to a standstill. We are living in fear and uncertainty, not knowing whether our loved ones will return.”
The families of the missing youths have appealed to the Indian government for urgent intervention. “These agents are exploiting vulnerable families and sending their children into danger under false promises,” said local activist Rehana Parveen. “We demand strict action against such individuals and immediate steps to bring back those trapped in this nightmare.”
The case sheds light on the darker side of migration and employment scams, where unscrupulous agents prey on the desperation of families seeking a better future. It also raises concerns about the lack of regulation and oversight in foreign employment processes.
As the families await news of their loved ones, the tragedy of Azharuddin and others serves as a grim reminder of the perils of unchecked exploitation in the name of opportunity.
